Tom Crean was born in Annascaul in Co. Kerry
in 1877.
His parents were poor farmers who worked hard to feed their ten children.
Life in Ireland at that time was very different to life today. There was no electricity. Cooking was done over an open fire. Candles and oil lamps were used for light. There were no telephones and no cars.
Schools were also very different to today.
Imagine no light, heat, computers, p.e. halls etc. Often young children
had to leave school at a very young age to get a job so they could earn
money to help buy food and clothes for the family.
Activity sheet 1
When Tom was fifteen years old he met a man
in uniform who was signing people up to join the royal Navy in Britain.
Tom liked the idea of joining a crew and sailing the seas aboard navy
ships so he lied about his age and told the officer that he was sixteen.
Tom's new life far away from the farm in Annascaul had begun.
Little did he think this memorial park in Annascaul would be built in
his memory.
